'80s Metal History (June 18th)

June 18, 1984: Judas Priest played Madison Square Garden in New York City for the last time. Fans didn't like the announcer promoting a future Neil Diamond show and proceeded to throw firecrackers and rip out seating. As a result, Priest was banned for life!

Mid-June 1987: Produced by Max Norman (Ozzy, Megadeth...), Grim Reaper released their third studio album "Rock You To Hell" in North America (October '87 in the UK), featuring the ripping title track.

Grim Reaper "Rock You To Hell" release information source: [US] The Hard Report radio trade publication "New This Week" - June 26, 1987; [UK] Kerrang! - September 3, 1987.

June 18, 1990: Metal Blade issued the second studio album from Phoenix thrashers Sacred Reich "The American Way" in North America (May 21st in the UK). Originally titled "Crimes Against Humanity", the Paul Stottler artwork for the cover was moved to the back of the LP after the band wrote "The American Way" and changed the name of the album. The video for the title track was used in the 1992 film "Encino Man".

Sacred Reich "The American Way" release date source: [US] CMJ New Music Report - June 8, 1990; [UK] Kerrang! - April 21, 1990.

June 1985: Formed by former Angel Witch bassist Kev Riddles, NWOBHM band Tytan released their only album until 2017 "Rough Justice" and it was issued after they had split up.

June 18, 1991: Van Halen released their ninth studio album (third with Sammy Hagar) "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" in North America (one day earlier in the UK) featuring singles "Poundcake", "Top of the World" and "Right Now". Hagar suggested the title... "That's when censorship was a big issue. I wanted to name the album just Fuck." The tour promoting the album was unofficially named "F.U.C.K. 'n' Live".

Van Halen "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" release information source: [US] The Gavin Report radio trade publication spotlight - June 21, 1991; Billboard Magazine spotlight - June 29, 1991; [UK] Kerrang! review - June 22, 1991.

Happy Birthday to Stryper guitarist Oz Fox (June 18, 1961).

Happy Birthday to Guns N' Roses keyboardist [since 1990] Dizzy Reed (June 18, 1963).

June 18, 1989: Back on the road for the second leg of the North American "Damaged Justice" tour, Metallica and The Cult played Hyslop Sports Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

June 18, 1989: Danzig brought the "God Don't Like It Tour" to The Stone in San Francisco.

June 18, 1985: With their debut EP now available, German speed metal band Helloween (the band evolved to their signature power metal sound when singer Michael Kiske joined the group in 1986) played Quartier Latin in Berlin. Helloween's debut album "Walls Of Jericho" would hit record shops later that year.

June 18, 1983: KISS played the first of three shows in Brazil to close out the "Creatures Of The Night/10th Anniversary Tour" beginning with Rio de Janeiro and an estimated 137,000 people, the largest crowd in the history of the band.

June 18, 1981: Mötley Crüe ventured outside their Sunset Strip playground for the first time when they traveled to Northern California for a show in Nevada City (located between Sacramento and Reno). It was a short trip with only two more gigs in the area before they returned to SoCal.

June 1987: Six months after its release, Tesla's debut album "Mechanical Resonance", with standout tracks "Modern Day Cowboy" and "Little Suzi", was a certified smash and the band featured in the latest Hit Parader Magazine... "By circumstance and ability they have been chosen to be the new leaders of rock and roll."